Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Review Round Up ~ June 26




New(er) Releases:


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review Copy Provided by Author

In The Summer Escape, author Shalvis brings us back to the Lake Tahoe area with new characters trying to find their way.

We meet sisters Anna and Wendy as they are on the cusp of major changes in their family and discover potential drama around their deceased father. Owen inserts himself into the situation as he tries to help his great-aunt resolve a mystery. I found myself liking all of the main characters. They are a group of people who all have baggage and think they are doing the right thing to navigate life and protect themselves. While the romantic relationship centers on Anna and Owen, Anna's character would not be complete without her sister and the back story they share.

Our story here has an element of suspense along with the emotional evolution of our characters. It was interesting to see the different paces that Owen and Anna moved in to get where they needed to go. Wendy plays a key secondary role, but we also get glimpses of Owen's world. Some of these secondary characters help things move forward, but I appreciated that it wasn't all smooth sailing.

Shalvis delivers another entertaining read set in the Sunrise Cove community. I am curious to see if we get to come back to meet more of the characters that make up the town.

Amazon


My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend

Review Copy Provided by Author

What a feel good read!
Over the years, we have watched the crew at Reynold’s Restoration grow. We’ve seen them become a found family and help each other find their path. This time it’s Dom’s turn. He is a little older (near 50) and comes with wounds and baggage, but one very special lady helps him see the light.
Cherry (Hannah’s mother) has her own romantic history that makes her wary of the “playboy” helping around her daughter’s new home.
It was so fun watching these two become friends and more to each other. I especially appreciated the way their feelings for each other evolved and led to them being just want the other needed - even when they didn’t know what that was!
While this is a stand alone read, reading the series in order makes the enjoyment factor that much greater. The secondary cast is largely made of featured couple from previous books and knowing that history helps with appreciating where they are now.

Amazon


The Love ShackThe Love Shack by Lori Foster

3.25 stars - Above Average read

Review Copy Provided by Author

The Love Shack returns us to the town of Cemetery with four brand new main characters.
Berkeley and Lawson come from the same small town and unexpectedly find each other here. Due to the baggage of where they grew up, they aren’t sure this is a good thing. Lark and Oliver have come to town trying to heal from family related issues and connect.

All four characters are lovely people and I enjoyed meeting them. I appreciated the way in which they supported each other and helped make sure that they could all bloom where they are planted. The town of Cemetery itself continues to be a secondary character unto itself and there are lots of pop ins from previous main characters in the Cemetery series.

While this book is well written, it had a blandness that I found hard to connect with. Whenever the characters would experience something that most would consider a “big” emotion, it was presented such that it seemed like we were seeing through a foggy window. This may be a personal preference thing, but I found it a little too easy to put the book down and go do other things.

Amazon


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